Of Grarrls and Diamonds
by soggydude
Summary: This stars my Lupe Detective. When a rare and valuable diamond necklace is stolen, Detective must find out who took it
1. Part 1

1 Most names put here are made up by me. To learn more about the star of this story, click here  
  
I looked at the sign above my office door, reading-  
  
DETECTIVE LUPE'S OFFICE  
  
"Wait, I think it should go to the right." I climbed up the ladder, fixed it, got down, and looked again. "No, maybe a little more to the left." I climbed up the ladder, fixed it, got down, and looked for the third time. "Perfect!"  
  
I then took another sign out which had OUT on one side and IN on the other. I flipped the sign to the OUT side, put it on my door, and left. I flew down to Neopia (I live in Faerie Land) and ran to the Neopian Times building, and went up to the front desk.  
  
"I'd...puff...like to...gasp...place an ad in...puff...the paper."  
  
The Aisha glanced down at me from her desk.  
  
"Could you repeat that?"  
  
I swallowed in air, and repeated myself.  
  
"Third door on the right."  
  
I walked over to the door, and opened it. Inside was a Blumaroo, talking on the phone.  
  
"What do you mean, you want to cancel your ad? You are supposed to tell us at least a week before! There is a 25 neopoint fine you know!"  
  
He slammed down the phone, and then noticed me.  
  
"Oh, hello there. What can I do for you?"  
  
I held up my makeshift ad, and said, "I'd like to place an ad in the paper."  
  
The Blumaroo looked at me, then my ad, then at a list, then at me again.  
  
"Hmm, well, I guess we can put your ad in. Is this week fine?"  
  
I nodded eagerly. "Yes, yes!"  
  
He scribbled something onto his list, and then told me, "Okay, your ad will be displayed in the front page of this weeks Neopian Times."  
  
I paid the fee, then left to go home.  
  
The next few days passed slowly. I read books, watched television, and explored outside. Finally, Friday came. I grabbed the paper and opened it up. My eyes scanned the pages.  
  
"Ad for the Bakery, Toy Store, something else...here it is!"  
  
I looked at the small square on the side of the column next to the comics, and read it aloud.  
  
"Professional detective, no case is too big or too small. Reasonable-wait, they spelled that wrong- price, and no wait. Contact me by either phone or go to the address below."  
  
I looked down and there was the phone number and address, both correct.  
  
"Now to wait for my first case!"  
  
I ran to my office, flipped the unused sign to IN, and unlocked the door. I dusted off the desk, cleaned the entire room, watered some plants that were there for decoration, cleaned the room again, and then I sat in a chair I had bought just yesterday. Then I waited. And waited. And waited.  
  
"I knew I should have brought along something to pass the time!"  
  
Just then, there was a knock at the door, and it opened. I glanced up and saw a human walk through the door. She was of average height and weight, and seemed doubtful.  
  
"Are you Detective Lupe?"  
  
I nodded. "Just Detective. What do you need Miss…?"  
  
"Rose. Last night someone came into my house and stole a very valuable necklace of mine. My pet, Water_Lily23, Water_Lily for short, woke me up at night, but I only heard the pet leave. "  
  
I looked at her, confused. "You didn't wake up?"  
  
She shook her head. "I'm a really deep sleeper. Once, a hurricane caused a tree to hit my house, and I didn't even stir. My pet, on the other hand, wakes up at anything, and I mean anything."  
  
"What about the police?"  
  
She sighed. "They did all they could, but so far nothing."  
  
I nodded. "Okay, can you show me your house? There might be clues there."  
  
"Sure. What is your fee? I can pay once we arrive."  
  
"One hundred neopints per hour, and any additional charges."  
  
We left my small office and after a short while, reached her house. I looked at the huge mansion, impressed with the size of it. We walked in, and I glanced at a smashed glass case near the entrance, with a necklace on top of it.  
  
"What happened here, and what necklace is that?"  
  
Rose looked at the case. "This is where I keep my fake necklace, in case someone does try to steal it. The one on top is the fake one. I guess it didn't fool the thief. The real one is in a safe, which the thief took."  
  
After walking up the stairs, we reached a room with many valuable items such as some Hidden Tower items, a rod of Nova, and some rare Neggs.  
  
"The necklace was in this room."  
  
I was a little confused. "Wouldn't the thief want this stuff too?"  
  
She shook her head. "The necklace was worth it. It is priced at 30 million neopoints."  
  
After closing my jaw, I glanced at her. "30 million? How did it get so valuable?"  
  
She sighed. "You know how Terror Mountain and Tyrannia are connected?"  
  
I nodded. "Did it come from there?"  
  
"Actually, long before Tyrannia was discovered, the pathway was open. In between was a diamond mine. Many people mined it for a valuable type of diamond that my necklace is made of. Years later, the pathway was closed, and the mine was destroyed in the process. Any diamond that came from the mine skyrocketed in value because no other known mine has that type of diamond. I was taking a vacation in Tyrannia a long time ago, and I saw someone who was selling necklaces. I bought this one, and got an expert to see if it was real. I was shocked when I learned about its history."  
  
I took this all in, and then asked, "Where is your pet? Can I talk to her?"  
  
"Okay, hold on." She walked to another room, and came back with a Faerie Poogle, who looked shyly at me.  
  
"Okay, can you tell me what you saw?" I asked. I pulled out a tape recorder and pressed the record button.  
  
Water_Lily nodded. "Well, I was sleeping, and I heard a noise, which was the door opening. I crept downstairs, and saw a big pet in a black suit with a mask over his or her eyes. The thief took out a small hammer and whacked the glass off the case downstairs and took the decoy necklace my owner keeps in case this happens. After looking at it, the thief threw it against the wall in anger. I think he or she knew it was a fake, which surprised me, because that necklace looks just like the genuine one, even though it is made of glass. The thief began to come upstairs, so I ran to Rose's room, and woke her up. Because she is a deep sleeper, by the time she woke up, the thief had run out the back door. We tried calling the police, but the line was cut. We didn't want to try and go after the thief because we were both afraid he or she might have had a weapon."  
  
I turned off the recorder.  
  
"Don't worry, I'll find the thief."  
  
I turned to Rose, and said, "I think the only person who could have known that the fake one was a fake would be an expert. Do you know any people or pets who are experts with diamonds?"  
  
She nodded faintly. "There are many who have been offering me money for it, but I always refuse."  
  
I turned back to Water_Lily. "What species did the pet look like?"  
  
She thought for a moment, and then said, "He or she was either a Grarrl or a Skeith, and I couldn't get a good look."  
  
I turned back to Rose. "Do you know anyone who would want that necklace that either is or owns a Grarrl or Skeith?"  
  
She nodded. "No one who wants it has a Skeith and no Skeith has offered me anything, but there are two Grarrls who want it. One has kept bugging me for years. The other once offered me 50 million, but the money was fake. He never asked me again, but I know he still has an eye on it."  
  
I took out a notepad. "Can you give me the names and house address of both Grarrls?"  
  
After a few minutes, I was out of the house. I looked at the first name.  
  
"Lets see, name is Sharp_Tooth222. Lives in Tyrannia? Hmm, that's going to take a while. The second is…Bouncy_Boy94? What the…? Oh well, lives in Faerie Land. Not too far from here." I left the street, and flew up into the sky. After getting directions from a Shoryu out on a flight, I landed in Bouncy_Boy94's yard. I knocked at the door. When it opened, a Fire Grarrl glared at me.  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
I cleared my throat, and said, "Well, you see, I'm here to-"  
  
"Are you selling those cookies?" His eyes lit up.  
  
"Well, actually-"  
  
He grabbed my arm. "Come on in!"  
  
After getting yanked inside the jelly made house, he took out a pen.  
  
"Okay, I would like five boxes of-"  
  
"WAIT!" I yelled. He looked at me as if I were nuts.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I'm actually a detective, and you see, I was-"  
  
He gasped. "NO! IT WASN'T ME! I don't know anything about the stolen doughnuts, honest! Please don't arrest me! I was just hungry! And it got out of control and-"  
  
"WOULD YOU BE QUIET ALREADY? I'M NOT HERE FOR SOME STUPID DOUGHNUT CASE!" I was a little shocked that I had yelled twice at a Grarrl, but I think he deserved it.  
  
Bouncy_Boy signed in relief. "Oh, okay then. Want a doughnut?" He took a doughnut from what seemed like nowhere. I glanced at the half bitten treat. As I did, I pulled out the recorder.  
  
"Err, no thanks. Any way, I'm here because an owner had a necklace stolen. Her name is Rose, and I need an alibi from you."  
  
His face darkened as I mentioned Rose. "Oh, her. I offered good money once, but she refused."  
  
I sighed. I was getting nowhere. "Actually, the money was fake. Rose said so."  
  
"Okay then, you're going to take Rose's side. What gives you the idea that I, a respectable Grarrl, would produce fake neopoints?"  
  
Just then, a closet door banged open, and doughnuts and other snack items flowed out. Right on top was a strange looking machine. I walked over and looked at it.  
  
"You know, this looks just like a machine criminals use to make fake money."  
  
He gulped, and began to look at a window. "Well, I can explain that…"  
  
"You know, I was taping this conversation secretly for my uses," I said, hoping he would fall for the bluff.  
  
He groaned. "You want the alibi, don't you?"  
  
I nodded. Finally, I was getting somewhere! I turned on the recorder. He looked at me for a moment.  
  
"Okay, I guess I can tell you. Err, well, I was, um, you know, at the Bakery at 10:04 NST. Doing nothing really, and, um, this truckload of doughnuts comes. And I have a good view of the sugary stuff, and my mouth is watering, and I go and take one without getting caught, but after eating it I get really hungry, and err, I'm telling you too much, aren't I?"  
  
I nodded again. "Oh well, I have your alibi. Anyway, I have to go."  
  
I left the house, and was about to take off, when he said, "Are you sure you aren't selling those cookies?"  
  
"Whatever," I muttered, and flew off. Now I had to go check his alibi, and then go to Sharp_Tooth222's house. It was going to be a long day.  
  
2 To be continued… 


	2. Part 2

I first flew over to the Bakery down in Neopia. The police Chias were crowding around, and questioning people. I landed, and went nearby the yellow police tape. The Breadmaster was talking to the police.  
  
"Well, I had gotten a shipment of doughnuts, and went inside to get the shop ready, when I heard a noise. I looked outside and saw a Grarrl with a mask on filling a large sack with the doughnuts."  
  
The police scribbled it down on their pads.  
  
"So Bouncy_Bubble was telling the truth." I mused over this, and then remembered I had to go to Sharp_Tooth's house. I took off, and flew off. After about an hour, my wings were beginning to fail, when I saw Tyrannia. I sighed with relief, and began to land. After looking around and asking a few of the locals, I managed to find Sharp_Tooth's house. I glanced at the transparashield mansion, and rang the doorbell. The door opened, and a Chia looked at me.  
  
"Hello, how can I help you?"  
  
"I need to talk to Mr. Sharp_Tooth."  
  
The Chia straightened his tie, and opened the door fully. I walked in and saw many butlers and maids cleaning, cooking, and doing other things. In the front room was a Lenny behind a desk. She looked at me.  
  
"Yes, can I help you?"  
  
"I need to see Mr. Sharp_Tooth."  
  
She pressed a button, and said into an intercom, "Mr. Sharp_Tooth, there is a Faerie Lupe here who wants to talk to you."  
  
The answer came back immediately. "Send him up here now!"  
  
I got the directions and walked up the flights of stairs. When I got to the top floor, I saw a door with "Sharp_Tooth222's Office" imprinted on it. I knocked lightly and opened. There the Grarrl was talking into the phone.  
  
"Yes, tell that Acara that I need to have that deal done tonight! This is very important. Okay, thank you."  
  
He hung up the phone. As he did, his eyes fell on me.  
  
"Ah yes, Mr. Fang_Bite, about that deal, I'm so glad you came here. You see- "  
  
"Hold on! I'm not here about any deal. I'm Detective Lupe, and I need to ask you a few questions about what you did yesterday."  
  
The Grarrl adjusted his glasses. "What?"  
  
"An owner had her valuable necklace stolen yesterday, and I need an alibi from you."  
  
"Why me?"  
  
"You're a suspect in the case. I believe you know the owner, name's Rose."  
  
He nodded. "Oh yes, her. Her necklace was stolen? Shame. I really wanted it."  
  
"Well, I need your-"  
  
"You see, for years I have been collecting rare diamonds. It's a hobby of mine, and that necklace would complete my grand collection."  
  
"That's nice, but-"  
  
"I mean, really. I offer Rose good money for it, and she never accepts. I've been trying for years!"  
  
"Yeah, I know, but-"  
  
"Oh, so she told you about that? That reminds me, I was going to Neomail her with an offer today. Well, thank you for reminding me. Bye now."  
  
I tried to keep my temper from blowing. I took out my recorder, and began to record the conversation. "Look, I need your alibi. Just tell me where you were, and what you were doing."  
  
"Oh, why didn't you say so? I was at a meeting, 9:30 NST. The meeting took place at a building next to the art center in Neopia. It's not on the map, but you can see it. Here's the room I rented for the occasion." He handed me a piece of paper with the number 25 on it. I turned off the recorder and began to leave.  
  
"Wait!" Sharp_Tooth yelled. I turned around.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Did Rose say anything about selling her necklace if she gets it back?"  
  
I shook my head. "No, sorry." I then ran out of the room before he could ask anything else. After leaving, I caught a bus to Neopia. I walked around the main center, and sure enough I saw a building. I walked in, and went over to a Kacheek who was typing into a computer.  
  
"Excuse me."  
  
The Kacheek glanced at me. "Yes?"  
  
"I need to know some information for a case. Did a Grarrl named Sharp_Tooth222 have a meeting here at 9:30 NST?"  
  
The Kacheek pulled out a paper, and began to look over it. "Nope. No Grarrl having a meeting at that time."  
  
"I see," I said. I thanked the Kacheek and left. My wings were rested, so I flew over to Rose's house in Faerieland to see if I could find any clues around the house. She saw me as I was coming down, and came over.  
  
"Did you find who did it?"  
  
I shook my head. "But I have a pretty good idea."  
  
Rose sighed with relief. "That's good. Anyway, would you like to have something to eat?"  
  
I then realized that I was hungry. All that investigating must have taken longer then I thought.  
  
"Sure."  
  
We walked inside the house, and I sat at a small table. As I sat, I noticed a picture of a Fire Lupe resting on top of a fireplace in the next room.  
  
"Who is that?"  
  
Rose glanced over and saw the picture. "That's my first pet, Nyjantin. I adopted him from the pound while he was still three hours old a long time ago. He left to explore the world, about two months ago, so I went back to the pound and adopted Water_Lily."  
  
I looked at another picture of Nyjantin playing with another Cloud Lupe. "Who is that Lupe?"  
  
"That's his friend, Yokameron, who was my neighbors pet. He left with Nyjantin. Here's your snack."  
  
She gave me a Chocolate Chia and a cup of Earl Gray tea. I wolfed down the chocolate, and drank a bit of the tea, even though I don't really like tea. Just then, I remembered I was here to get some more information.  
  
"Do you know if any neighbors were home when your necklace was stolen?" I asked.  
  
"Yes, the people to the house right of us were home. The people in the house to the left are on vacation though."  
  
I thanked her for the snack and went over to the house on the right. I knocked on the door, and an Usul came out.  
  
"Hello. Who are you?"  
  
"I'm Detective Lupe, and I need to talk to your owner." I looked around the door to see if I could catch view of her owner.  
  
"Okay, hold on." The Usul shut the door, and came back a little while later with her owner.  
  
"How can help you?"  
  
"I'm investigating a case involving your next door neighbor Rose, and I need to know if you saw anything suspicious yesterday night."  
  
The owner shook her head. "No, I was out yesterday at the Art Center, and I came back late. But you can ask Lonar6492 or Lonar for short. She was here last night, and knowing her she probably stayed up late. Lonar, please come here!"  
  
The Usul came back into the room, and looked from me to her owner. I explained what I needed to know, and then I took out the tape recorder and began to record the conversation.  
  
"Can you tell me if you saw anything suspicious last night?"  
  
Lonar nodded. "I did see someone walking around, but I thought it was just Rose. I didn't see anything else suspicious though."  
  
I turned off the recorder. "Thanks." I thanked both of them and left. I went back to my office, and began to ponder the case. I listened to all recordings, and listened for any flaws in either Grarrl's story, but I couldn't find any. I looked over the fact that Sharp_Tooth did not go to a meeting, but still couldn't find any evidence for him. I listened to the stories again, and again, and again…  
  
"WAIT!" I played back the one story I was listening, and stopped at the one part.  
  
"EUREKA! I GOT IT!" I was ecstatic. I made two calls, and waited. Meanwhile, I used my computer to do some research…  
  
One hour later, the pet I called came over.  
  
"Hello Detective." The pet sat down in a chair on front of my desk. The chair snapped.  
  
"Sorry," I said. I made a mental note to get a better chair. "You can stand up."  
  
"Gee, thanks." The pet picked up the pieces and put them away. I cleared my throat and got ready.  
  
"Hello. I called you here for a good reason."  
  
The pet looked confused. "What's the reason?"  
  
I stood up on my four paws. "I know you took the necklace."  
  
The pet's eye's widened in surprise. "What? But I-"  
  
"Nice try, but I have the evidence. You fooled me for a while, but I found the one flaw in your story."  
  
The pet glared at me. "And what flaw would that be, Detective?"  
  
"Good. You aren't trying to deny it…. Water_Lily."  
  
Water_Lily looked at a small window I had. "So, what was the flaw?"  
  
"Well, you see, according to your story, the thief threw the fake necklace hard. Now, a Grarrl or Skeith are muscular pets, and if they threw a glass item, it would shatter. When I came over, the fake necklace was in perfect shape. Your story was good, and you were lucky Rose didn't catch this flaw. Even I didn't, because I never thought you would have done it, but now I know. And I also know that Lonar helped you by telling me that she saw someone carrying the safe. I don't know how you two carried that thing, but you might as well tell me where it is."  
  
Water_Lily suddenly grabbed at piece of the broken chair and threw it at the window. It shattered, and she flew out.  
  
"Now!" I glanced out the window. Instantly, police outside began to follow her. The Chief walked over to me.  
  
"I'd like to thank you, Detective Lupe."  
  
"Just Detective," I said, feeling very happy.  
  
1  
  
2 ONE HOUR LATER  
  
"So Water_Lily was the thief."  
  
I was at Rose's house, explaining what had happened.  
  
"Actually, you aren't the first. Water_Lily and her friend are actually a team. I looked up info concerning criminal information, and found a description of a Faerie Poogle and regular Usul who put them selves in the pound and wait to be adopted. A little while later, they steal from both houses and help each other take the items and money from the other's house. I guess they were going to wait until either one of the Grarrls would be accused or if I couldn't figure it."  
  
"What about the fact that Sharp_Tooth lied to you?"  
  
"He didn't. Tonight he has a meeting at the same place and time, and he got them mixed up. I called him later and found out the true time. Anyway, that's the story. I don't know where they put the safe, so do you know if there is a place in this house that you wouldn't look around?"  
  
I waited awhile as Rose thought about it. "I got it! Njantin's old playroom!"  
  
We ran up the stairs, and went into a room. There were several toys, and a huge pile of plushies in a corner. I went over to the pile, and began to remove the plushies. Sure enough, there was a safe underneath.  
  
"Here it is."  
  
Rose opened it, and looked inside. There was the necklace.  
  
"Thanks Detective Lupe!" I could tell I had my first satisfied client.  
  
"Just Detective." I then handed her the bill. "About the bill-"  
  
"Oh yes." She wrote out a check for the amount. I took it and left. I went to a public phone and called the police regarding the doughnut case.  
  
"Now to go back home and rest!"  
  
I flew over to my home, and went inside. I sat on a couch and turned on the TV.  
  
"And in today's news, the criminal team of Water_Lily and Lonar were arrested today, thanks to P.I. Detective Lupe. Also, the doughnut thief was found. Looks like today was a good day for police."  
  
"Just Detective," I muttered. The news Blumarro shuffled some papers.  
  
"And that's tonight's news. Coming up, the Lupe Mysteries show."  
  
"No thanks," I said. "I've had enough detectiving for a while." I turned off the TV.  
  
2.1 THE END 


End file.
